NBA Trade Idea Shows Detroit Pistons’ Pathway to $215 Million Star

How could the Detroit Pistons land Zach LaVine?

Mar 1, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) dribbles on Detroit Pistons guard Cory Joseph (18) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In a world where the Detroit Pistons want to speed up the rebuild, they’ll begin looking for blockbuster deals to acquire star players to put next to Cade Cunningham much sooner than later.

The current state of the trade market is not much different than in years past. The top two prospects in early December are New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram and Chicago Bulls forward Zach LaVine.

With Ingram recently suffering an ankle injury, his short-term future is unclear. As for LaVine, he’s healthy and putting together an intriguing case for an interested suitor to come and get him.

If—and big if—the Pistons want to pursue the $215 million man at this time, how could they get it done?

Zach LaVine taking on the Detroit Pistons. — Nov 12, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) is defended by Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and guard Killian Hayes (7) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Mock Trade Framework for Bulls-Pistons

Bleacher Report recently put together a potential framework that could send LaVine to Detroit. In this hypothetical scenario, the Pistons would land the forward on his own. In return, they would send out three players and a future second-round pick.

Who goes out?

Isaiah Stewart

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Simone Fontecchio

2027 second-round pick

Since Hardaway has one season left on his current deal, which started with the Dallas Mavericks, the 32-year-old veteran was viewed as a potential trade candidate from the moment he stepped foot in Detroit.

That’s not to say Hardaway has been disappointing in Detroit. In 22 games, he’s knocked down 35 percent of his threes while contributing nearly 10 points per game. If the Pistons don’t plan to keep Haraway around long-term, they shouldn’t shy away from moving on.

As for Fontecchio, he’s been more on the disappointing side of things. Last year, the Italian forward was a post-trade-deadline standout for Detroit. In 16 games, he averaged 15 points while knocking down 43 percent of his threes.

Free agent F Simone Fontecchio has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract to return to the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ioGnth59xQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2024

This year, those numbers are down to six points on 35 percent shooting from deep on a slightly larger sample size. Over the offseason, Fontecchio signed a two-year deal with the Pistons worth $16 million.

Stewart could end up being a major trade chip for the Pistons this season. As contending teams are always on the hunt for a valuable backup center, Stewart is likely to land interest from all over. His versatility could be of interest to a team like Chicago.

The Pistons haven’t been linked to any LaVine-related rumors since before last season’s deadline. As Detroit finds out more about themselves in the coming months, that could change.